There’s something endlessly comforting about a big bowl of noodles on a crisp fall day, and, luckily for us, there are a lot of excellent chefs around Madison who are experts in how to craft the perfect bowl of noodles. The following chefs highlight dishes from a few distinct noodle regions—Italy, China and Southeast Asia—playing with flavors local to Wisconsin in the fall. From simple yet elegant sauces (like butternut squash sugo and kale pesto) to homemade noodles (like dandan noodles and crescent-shaped homemade ravioli) and stir-fried bowls packed full of fall veggies, there is something to tempt every home cook.
Rigatoni with Kale Pesto, Sweet Potatoes and Landmark Creamery Pecora Nocciola
Kale becomes abundant in the fall and one of Jon Rosnow's favorite things to do with it before the season ends is make pesto. This pesto is very versatile and can be used in a variety of meals. It also freezes really well if you want to scale up that part of the recipe. Rosnow most enjoys the pesto stirred into pasta with a good cheese. (His favorite local one is Landmark Creamery’s Pecora Nocciola. It’s salty, nutty and grates beautifully into this dish.)
Fall Mì Xào (Stir-Fried Egg Noodles)
Stephanie and her sister Jacqueline opened Little Palace together in January 2022, bringing fun American Chinese food flavors and dishes to downtown Madison. Late last year, they briefly closed Little Palace as they transitioned into becoming second-generation owners of their aunt’s beloved restaurant Ha Long Bay. With that resume, it’s safe to say, Stephanie and Jacqueline know good noodles. This dish brings tons of fall flavor into a dish of sautéed egg noodles and a sweet and salty sauce.
Madame Chu Sambal Noodle Stir Fry
The magic ingredient here is Josey Chu's own Sambal Nyonya: a deep red paste made from chili peppers, onions, tamarind, vinegar, sugar and molasses for a rich, complex heat. The flavors combine beautifully with the last fall tomatoes and tender bok choy. Chu has been crafting her own Southeast Asian sauces under the Madame Chu label since 2017. It’s available at Metcalfe’s Market, Willy Street Co-op, Viroqua Co-op and Chu’s website, but if you can’t find it, gochujang, hoisin sauce or harissa paste could all work in a pinch.
Casunziei all’Ampezzana
This beet-filled half-moon shaped ravioli, known as casunziei, was a favorite of Francesco Mangano's when he traveled across northern Italy. His own recipe celebrates fall with a beautiful filling mixture made from beets, ricotta and breadcrumbs. It makes a lot because when entering into the world of stuffed pasta, it’s worth the effort to just keep going. Ravioli freezes well if you’re not serving a crowd. Just lay them out on a floured baking sheet, freeze until firm and then store in sealed freezer bags.
Butternut Squash Sugo
Sugo is a dish frequently on the menu at Mint Mark where Sean Pharr plays with flavors (and vegetables) to make complex-tasting dishes from simple ingredients. Most commonly, sugo refers to a traditional Italian tomato sauce, but here he combines browned butter, garlic and butternut squash to create a creamy, elegant sauce that is the perfect coating for long, thin noodles.
Taigu Dandan Noodles
Dandan noodles have long been a staple on the menu at Taigu where they serve dandan made with pork, beef, chicken, tofu or eggplant. Hong Gau believes the soul of this dish lies in the sauce, and that’s what makes it so delicious. She believes the sauce tastes best with fresh noodles, which is what they make at her Middleton restaurant. However, not everyone has the time to make noodles from scratch, no matter how delicious. In that case, Hong suggests substituting lo mein, spaghetti or ramen as alternatives.
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